Gershon Tannenbaum (19492016) was the director of the Rabbinical Alliance of America (Iggud HaRabbonim) and a longtime Jewish Press columnist (Machberes).a word meaning notebook in Hebrew
His Machberes column, sometimes spanning more than one page, was subtitled "News and Views of the Yeshivish and Chasidishe World." Tannenbaum, in noting a Yartzeit, would sometimes recount the individual's life story.In this case, how the only holder in New York City of the title "Chief Rabbi" (of a city) came to this title, in 1888.
He was also the rabbi of the 1924-founded B’nai Israel of Linden Heights synagogue, in Boro Park.
Tannenbaum was involved in helping victims of abuse, and his concern was reflected in his writings.
My Machberes Tannenbaum was known for his full pagesometimes extending to a continuation page detailed writings in a long-running Jewish Press featured column. When the rabbi named by an Australian newspaper's "World's oldest rabbi visits Oz" headline died a year later at age 106, the two line caption on the front-page photo of the funeral ended "see My Machberes."Bottom third of Front Page photo/two line caption:
Biography Tannenbaum was born 1949 in a DP camp located in Windsheim, Germany. He continued the family history of service as a rabbi.
His rabbinical studies were both in Israel and the USA."He studied in Yeshiva Chasam Sofer, Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem, Yeshivat HaTefutzot and Yeshiva University. Rabbi Tannenbaum served as a shamash to Rabbi Aryeh Levine in Jerusalem for a short time and his was the first semicha conferred in Jerusalem after its reunification in 1967."
He is survived by his wife, their two sons who are rabbis, and two (married) daughters.
References
External links Bais Din (Religious Court), Iggud HaRabanim (Rabbinical Alliance of America) official web site